The Handmaid’s Tale, a Hulu original series based on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel, portrays a world overrun by misogyny. Offred, the main character, is subjected to a life of servitude under an authoritarian government dictated by religious fundamentalism. Women are stripped of any semblance of autonomy and are banned from owning their own property, credit cards and checking accounts. Offred’s worth as a human being is reduced to her ability to breed, and she lives as a slave under the ownership of an aristocratic couple. In this society, women aren’t allowed to drive, work or leave their homes without permission, and all handmaids are forced to abide by a strict regiment run by the guardian of the handmaids, Aunt Lydia. When Offred is allowed to leave the house, militarized guards loom everywhere as a constant reminder that there is no escape. Examples are made of those who break the rules; their bodies are hung in public at the end of a noose. Though the shock value of the story stems largely from contrasting Offred’s past life as a middle class college graduate to her life as a handmaid in a puritanical society, the elements that create this dystopian world exist in countries around the world, with Saudi Arabia as the closest example.

In Saudi Arabia, it’s against the law to bear children out of wedlock, and clinics that aid undocumented women who have children out of wedlock are subject to strict penalties by the government. In 2013, a Philippines based media outlet reported that a Filipino woman working in Saudi Arabia received punishment from the government of 100 lashes when it discovered that she was pregnant out of wedlock. This has been cited as a common punishment. Children born out of wedlock are ostracized as a walking manifestation of sin, and many are abandoned because of the stigma associated with having a child without being married. Yet, contraceptives and abortion services are also banned. Even if a woman gets pregnant within a marriage, she still has no rights. In April 2016, The Independent reported that a Saudi Arabian judge forced a woman who was eight months pregnant to divorce her husband against the couple’s will because her uncles were unhappy about the marriage.

The country’s laws are formulated under a strict interpretation of Islam and force women to live under the authoritarian rule of their fathers, husbands and brothers. Every woman is designated a male guardian in Saudi society. Women must obtain permission to work, study, marry, get a passport, travel or seek medical care. Women are forbidden from any unnecessary socialization with men, and several public areas have separate entrances for women. Women are also held to a strict dress code.

Those who protest or speak out against the Saudi Arabian government’s oppressive regime are often either imprisoned or executed. Activists alleged that Saudi Arabia executed 47 minors in January 2016—one of the country’s biggest mass executions in decades. Others are put in jail, often without a trial. Women are regularly imprisoned for attempting to flee the country. The recent case of Dina Ali Lasloom, which went viral on social media, exposed how the Saudi Arabian government stops women from escaping.

In the documentary Saudi Arabia Uncovered, a woman is depicted screaming that she is innocent of killing her stepdaughter as she is held down by Saudi police before an officer beheads her with a sword, which Vice News reported in 2015. In another scene, similar to The Handmaid’s Tale, the documentary shows bodies of several people hung from a crane. The image was reported by several outlets in 2013. Additionally, like the society depicted in The Handmaid’s Tale, homosexuals are tortured and executed upon discovery.

Rather than put pressure on Saudi Arabia and other countries that similarly oppress women, Western countries have allowed Saudi Arabia to cloud their violations of women’s rights. Recently, the country was given a seat on the United Nations Women’s Rights Commission. While The Handmaid’s Tale serves as a warning of oppression of women in Western society, it should be a wake up call for Western societies that turn a blind eye to countries where The Handmaid’s Tale‘s world already exists.

Somebody needs to write a Ph.D. dissertation on "Why!?" the U.S. has always been so chummy with those scum bags. Even though there seem to be some readily available explanations--mostly having to do with the expediency of having a pro-Western ally in the Arabian peninsula during the Cold War, and a bit later in having an oil rich ally--it just doesn't make sense that the U.S., literally what? . . . . 10 or 11 Presidential Administrations in a row!? . . . has been so uncritical, and frankly friendly with such a giant shit bag of retarded savages.

Somebody needs to write a Ph.D. dissertation on "Why!?" the U.S. has always been so chummy with those scum bags. Even though there seem to be some readily available explanations--mostly having to do with the expediency of having a pro-Western ally in the Arabian peninsula during the Cold War, and a bit later in having an oil rich ally--it just doesn't make sense that the U.S., literally what? . . . . 10 or 11 Presidential Administrations in a row!? . . . has been so uncritical, and frankly friendly with such a giant shit bag of retarded savages.

One can only hope that eventually this changes.

You can't begin to believe the kind of hit this also takes on the reputation of US.

It's almost the same people who are saying we need more Islam in Europe who are always happy to point out that "even the Americans think so fondly of them" etc. - "they're practically married to these guys".

It's fuel to the fire for the critics of US - a clear demonstration that all of the political rhetoric of US tends to be bullcrap when it comes to test and that your country's elites are happy to ally themselves with North Korea or Soviet Union if that means more money and advantage for them while talking about things like freedom and democracy only when dealing with people who are not happy to surrender themselves to the hegemony of US.

Somebody needs to write a Ph.D. dissertation on "Why!?" the U.S. has always been so chummy with those scum bags. Even though there seem to be some readily available explanations--mostly having to do with the expediency of having a pro-Western ally in the Arabian peninsula during the Cold War, and a bit later in having an oil rich ally--it just doesn't make sense that the U.S., literally what? . . . . 10 or 11 Presidential Administrations in a row!? . . . has been so uncritical, and frankly friendly with such a giant shit bag of retarded savages.

One can only hope that eventually this changes.

It's simple. As I've said before...

Saudi Arabia is at direct odds with Iran. The "let's you and him fight" card meant to keep Iran, and for a short time Iraq, in check, in the Gulf. Or any others. Then profit from arms sales. They'd just buy the stuff from France, Russian, and/or China if we didn't.

That the place is chock full of wahabbist assholes doesn't factor in. Pretty much every Islamic state in the Mideast has a huge number of Islamic fundie assholes. Just play them off against each other, best you can.

Somebody needs to write a Ph.D. dissertation on "Why!?" the U.S. has always been so chummy with those scum bags. Even though there seem to be some readily available explanations--mostly having to do with the expediency of having a pro-Western ally in the Arabian peninsula during the Cold War, and a bit later in having an oil rich ally--it just doesn't make sense that the U.S., literally what? . . . . 10 or 11 Presidential Administrations in a row!? . . . has been so uncritical, and frankly friendly with such a giant shit bag of retarded savages.

One can only hope that eventually this changes.

You can't begin to believe the kind of hit this also takes on the reputation of US.

It's almost the same people who are saying we need more Islam in Europe who are always happy to point out that "even the Americans think so fondly of them" etc. - "they're practically married to these guys".

It's fuel to the fire for the critics of US - a clear demonstration that all of the political rhetoric of US tends to be bullcrap when it comes to test and that your country's elites are happy to ally themselves with North Korea or Soviet Union if that means more money and advantage for them while talking about things like freedom and democracy only when dealing with people who are not happy to surrender themselves to the hegemony of US.

It's now quite apparent that Islamic countries just don't want Western style democracy.

So we can preach "freedom and democracy" all we want, but it's obviously just not compatible with the likes of Sharia Law, and it's adherents, for one example. Nor the rampant tribal grudges present in so many places.

The results of attempting to implement democracy, in such cases, has been a failure. Hence the reason many of us started giving less of a shit about foreigners in recent years. Asking ourselves why we should even bother policing the world anymore. Maybe we should just let the Syrias of the world escalate to widespread chemical warfare? Then what's next? Biological? Nuclear? Will France or Germany step in to take care of this stuff? Because it's certainly not a thankful, much less beneficial, job.

Americans are increasingly wanting to leave much of that self-imposed duty behind. Start being more selfish on an international level. I don't think we'll get a lot of praise either way, so any politicians' notions of being popular with the rest of the world should be flushed. They're supposed to be working with American citizens' interests as priority number one, two, and three anyway. But that doesn't always seem to be, in practice.

It's fuel to the fire for the critics of US - a clear demonstration that all of the political rhetoric of US tends to be bullcrap when it comes to test and that your country's elites are happy to ally themselves with North Korea or Soviet Union if that means more money and advantage for them while talking about things like freedom and democracy only when dealing with people who are not happy to surrender themselves to the hegemony of US.

It's a legitimate criticism. I share it. I have no doubt at all that America's elites have no moral center. "Our" foreign policy in re whom "we" fight, whom "we" protect, which dictators "we" just loooove, and which ones "we" despise is 100% about increasing the wealth and power of the few at the expense of the many, regardless of who gets hurt or how badly. And while it sucks to be some peasant overseas, the worst of it falls on the American lower and middle classes, who pay for the wars and fight in the wars and who are constantly despised by economists and bzillionaires for not sacrificing enough.

My biggest complaint right now is that Trump promised some serious isolationism and I see no sign of him delivering on it.

They're supposed to be working with American citizens' interests as priority number one, two, and three anyway. But that doesn't always seem to be, in practice.

They're supposed to be working for the sovereignty of the US, the defense of Americans' liberties in the US, and the defense and land of waters of the US. "Interests" is far too nebulous and mucky a word. "American interests" is even worse. Which Americans? What interests? How much will it cost ME and what is the return rate FOR ME? Who benefits? Who pays and what is the payment? Blood? Whose blood? Money? Whose money?

‘Very Sensitive’ Government Inquiry into Saudi Arabian Funding of Jihadi Groups May Never Be PublishedSaudi ArabiaSaudi Press Agency via AP

by Victoria Friedman1 Jun 2017142

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER

An investigation into the foreign funding of jihadi groups in Britain said to focus mainly on the support provided by Saudi Arabia may never be published as the findings are “very sensitive”, the Home Office has admitted.

The inquiry was authorised in 2015 by former Prime Minister David Cameron in exchange for Liberal Democrat support for the extension of British airstrikes against Islamic State into Syria.VideoTillerson Claims New US-Saudi Partnership

The Home Office’s extremism analysis unit had been directed by Downing Street to investigate foreign funding of extremist groups in the UK and for findings to be shown to then-Home Secretary Theresa May and Mr. Cameron.

However after 18 months, the Home Office has confirmed the incomplete report might not be published, calling the contents “very sensitive”, reports The Guardian.

A decision on the future of the investigation would be taken “after the election by the next government”, a Home Office spokesman said.

It is thought the report focused on Saudi Arabia, which ascribes to a hardline, Wahhabist branch of the Islamic faith.

European leaders and diplomats have condemned Saudi funding of Islamic extremism, including Norway’s former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Carl Schiøtz Wibye, who said the Gulf kingdom has had “a tremendous influence on the spread of the Islamist ideology”.

German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel has also urged Saudi Arabia to stop supporting Islamists in Germany, saying: “Wahhabi mosques are financed all over the world by Saudi Arabia. In Germany, many dangerous Islamists come from these communities.”

UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Paul Nuttall called for a ban on Saudi Arabia funding mosques after the Westminster terror attack, saying that “with Saudi funding of mosques comes radicalisation”.

“Maybe the government should look at the funding of mosques in this country because I don’t believe that Saudi Arabia should be funding mosques in this country particularly as it’s a country that spreads radicalisation,” he said.

Two weeks prior to the Bastille Day Nice attack in France, a Saudi-funded mosque opened in the city. The owner is the Saudi Arabian Minister for Islamic Affairs, Sheikh Saleh bin Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh.

Associate Director of The Henry Jackson Society Douglas Murray estimates there are “thousands” of Saudi-funded Wahhabi mosques across Europe, with the Saudis paying for the buildings and appointing clerics.

“In 2007 it was estimated that there were around 70 Wahhabi mosques in Britain. By 2015 the number had risen to 110,” with the amount of money flowing into these mosques at a “record high”, Mr. Murray wrote in a commentary for The Sun.

Saudi Arabia has also been influential in supporting some of Britain’s most prestigious universities, including Oxford University which received £2 million from Prince Sultan Salman bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud in 2005 and Cambridge University which received £8 million from Prince Alwaleed in 2008.

In April 2017, Prime Minister May visited Saudi Arabia and held talks with King Salman which focused on “bilateral relations and cooperation”.

Lets just pretend it doesn't happen so the plebs don't work it out!

_________________“The gap in EU finances arising from the United Kingdom’s withdrawal and from the financing needs of new priorities need to be clearly acknowledged.” - Mario Monti

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot post attachments in this forum